The Digest:
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, has publicly declared that no politician from Southern Nigeria is better positioned to govern the country beyond 2027 than President Bola Tinubu. Addressing a delegation of Northern youth leaders in Abuja, Ganduje dismissed speculation about Northern resistance to Tinubu's re-election bid, calling such assumptions a "big mistake." He praised Tinubu's lifelong dedication to politics and democratic struggle, citing his exile during the military era and his role in national unity. Ganduje also referenced a pre-Buhari political agreement that power should return to the South after eight years, framing Tinubu's current tenure as the continuation of that pact and justifying his right to a second term based on ongoing reforms.
Key Points
- The statement is a significant early endorsement aimed at consolidating Northern support and shutting down internal party debate about Tinubu's candidacy for the 2027 election.
- It seeks to preemptively frame the election as a continuity mandate for Tinubu, positioning any alternative candidate from the South as inherently less qualified.
- Ganduje attempts to solidify Tinubu's base in the North, while setting a definitive narrative within the APC that discourages challengers and promotes party unity behind the incumbent.
- The argument blends subjective praise for Tinubu's political history with an appeal to a purported pre-existing regional power-sharing agreement.
- Made over a year before the official campaign season, the timing is a strategic move to establish political dominance, shape public discourse, and discourage potential rivals from within or outside the party.
Sources: Daily Post
